Mangaluru: Infant Jesus English Medium School, Modankap, Bantwal, in association with Derik’s Chess School, organised a one-day inter-school rapid chess tournament for children at the Infant Jesus Church Hall, Modankap, bringing together more than 200 young chess players from across the district.
The tournament provided budding chess players an opportunity to test their skills in a competitive environment while encouraging strategic thinking, concentration and sportsmanship. The competition was conducted across eight age categories, attracting participation from schools in Mangaluru, Puttur, Belthangady, Vitla and other parts of the district.
Tournament inaugurated at Modankap
The tournament was inaugurated by Rev. Fr Victor D’Souza, Parish Priest and Joint Secretary, Infant Jesus English Medium School, through the traditional lighting of the lamp.
Addressing the gathering, Fr D’Souza encouraged children to actively participate in games such as chess, noting that sporting activities can contribute to the development of their mental abilities.
The chief guest, renowned surgeon Dr Chaitra Bhat, also addressed the gathering. She explained that although chess may appear to be a simple board game at first glance, it involves immense complexity because of the almost infinite possibilities that can emerge through different moves and combinations.
Rev. Fr Melwin Lobo, Headmaster; Deric Pinto, Founder, Derik’s Chess School; and Chandrashekhar Bhandary, chess promoter, were also present on the dais.
Competition draws young players from across the district
The tournament featured competitions in the Under-8, Under-10, Under-13 and Under-16 categories for both boys and girls. The participation of more than 200 players reflected the growing interest in chess among schoolchildren in the region.
The tournament provided participants with an opportunity to compete against players from different schools while gaining valuable experience in tournament-level chess.
At the overall institutional level, St Aloysius Gonzaga emerged as the winner, followed by Lourdes Central School in second place and Vivekananda English Medium School, Puttur, in third place.
Young chess players shine across categories
Under 8 Girls
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuresha Z Varawalla | ST Aloysius Gonzaga | 5 |
| 2 | Snithi Bhat | Sharada PU College Kodialbail Mangalore | 4 |
| 3 | Ishanvi Reddy B | ELC | 3 |
| 4 | Hishma Fathima | Lourdes Central School Mangalore | 3 |
| 5 | Athreyi | Shanthi Pani | 2 |
Under 8 Boys
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aarav PA | St. Aloysius Gonzaga Mangalore | 6 |
| 2 | S. Aadhvik | Lourdes Central School | 5 |
| 3 | Sriyansh Praveen | Lourdes Central School | 5 |
| 4 | Priston Rayden Pinto | ICSK Junior | 4 |
| 5 | Vansh Alva | Canara High School CBSE | 4 |
Under 10 Girls
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niha Shivani Shetty | LCR English Medium School Kakyapadav | 4½ |
| 2 | K. M. Vidithaa Bhat | Ambika Vidyalaya CBSE Bappalige Puttur | 4 |
| 3 | Suhani N | Vittal Jayces English Medium School, Vitla | 4 |
| 4 | Shreema UR | Vivekananda English Medium School Puttur | 4 |
| 5 | Muktha Shetty | Ambika Vidyalaya CBSE Bappalige Puttur | 3½ |
Under 10 Boys
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prasang P Naik | Lourdes Central School Bejai Mangalore | 6 |
| 2 | Aarav S Meludurgamutt | Canara High School CBSE | 5 |
| 3 | Agastya Rao | Sri Vani School Pavanje | 5 |
| 4 | Chirag Krishna V | St. Aloysius Gonzaga Mangalore | 5 |
| 5 | Shamit Sunil Chittal | Canara School, Dongerkeri | 5 |
Under 13 Girls
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Janvi Mallya | Canara Dongerkery | 5 |
| 2 | Prajna S Rao | Sri Vani School Pavanje | 4 |
| 3 | Sumalatha A Kovalan | Sri Vani School Pavanje | 4 |
| 4 | Avani Bhat | Canara Dongerkery | 4 |
| 5 | Krithika M. | Vivekananda English Medium School Puttur | 4 |
Under 13 Boys
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anvith Shetty P | Podar International School Mangalore | 6 |
| 2 | Stalan Andrade | Sacred Heart Eng. Med. School, Madanthyar | 5½ |
| 3 | Bhavith Pradeep Shetty | Podar International School Mangalore | 5 |
| 4 | Ashrith B.O | Carmel School Mangalore, Pandeshwar | 5 |
| 5 | Patrick Riyan Pinto | ICSK Junior | 5 |
Under 16 Girls
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adya Prasad | St. Victor’s Girls’ High School, Puttur | 5 |
| 2 | Zaara Khazi | St. Aloysius Gonzaga Mangalore | 4 |
| 3 | Ananya P Bhat | Sharada PU College Kodialbail Mangalore | 3 |
| 4 | Veekitha G | NITK | 3 |
| 5 | Flavita Livia D Souza | Sacred Heart | 3 |
Under 16 Boys
| Rank | Name | School | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K Manvith Rai | VEMS Puttur | 5 |
| 2 | Rishal Satvik Suresh | Mount Carmel Central School | 4½ |
| 3 | Shreesha P. | Balavikas English Medium School Mani | 4½ |
| 4 | Adithya Thanush P | St. Mary’s English Medium School Laila, Belthangady | 4½ |
| 5 | Daksh | Indraprastha Vidyalaya Uppinangady | 4 |
Winners felicitated at valedictory ceremony
The tournament concluded with a colourful valedictory ceremony during which prizes were distributed to the winners.
The prize distribution was conducted by Rev. Fr Melwin Lobo, Headmaster; Deric Pinto, Founder, Derik’s Chess School; Prasanna Rao, Co-founder, Derik’s Chess School; and Koushik R., Chief Arbiter.
The event recognised the efforts of the young participants and provided encouragement to children pursuing chess as a competitive sport. The participation of players from schools across the district also highlighted the growing popularity of chess among students.
Chess promotes strategic thinking and discipline
Beyond competition, the tournament offered young participants an opportunity to develop skills such as concentration, strategic planning, decision-making and patience. The nature of chess requires players to anticipate moves, evaluate alternatives and make decisions under competitive conditions.
By bringing together more than 200 children in a single inter-school tournament, Infant Jesus English Medium School and Derik’s Chess School created a platform where young players could gain tournament experience while interacting with fellow chess enthusiasts.
The successful conduct of the event also underlined the importance of providing schoolchildren with opportunities to participate in structured sporting activities alongside academics. With chess continuing to attract young talent across the coastal region, tournaments such as this can provide aspiring players with valuable exposure and motivation to pursue the game at higher levels.
The inter-school rapid chess tournament at Modankap thus concluded as a celebration of young talent, competitive spirit and the growing interest in chess among students across Dakshina Kannada.